Platoon Leader (1988)

It's tough to beat the IMDB plot summary, so here it goes:

[begin quote] West Point graduate lieutenant Jeff Knight meets cynicism when taking command of sergeant Michael McNamara's tour veterans platoon in a Vietnamese trench camp. Unlike his predecessor, who hid till the end of his tour, Jeff takes charge, experiences the manual doesn't allow coping with all realities and gets wounded. He returns, now fully respect by men and superiors. Besides the Vietcong, the platoon wrestles with the inscrutable villagers, which the GIs officially protect, but also fear as some collaborate with them, other covertly with the Cong, either way subject to bloody reprisals. Written by KGF Vissers [end quote]

The Vietnam war was a bloody episode in the Cold War (which, thus, wasn't as cold as that), in which the U.S.A. learned the hard way that messing with other countries' affairs wasn't the road to success. Or did they learn it? No, they didn't, as they engaged in further mischief in subsequent years. After they pull out of such military fiascoes, some of the money that went down the drain is recovered through hugely successful films made in Hoolywood. Platoon Leader is, however, not Hollywood fare, but rather an independent movie which tries to cash in on a Hollywood blockbuster's success. But it is very well made considering its relatively low budget. Yet, while it may be entertaining to sit for one hour and a half emoting with some brave guys in a fool's errand in an Asian jungle, will it make you wiser?

Rating: 42